At the young age of 13, I became heavily interested in the world of street art and graffiti. Instead of algebra homework, I studied the works of artists like Dondi, Basquiat, and Seen – trying to replicate their letterforms down to every detail. I spent hours if not days scrolling around forums, blogs, and websites focused on my newfound passion.
I used to beg my mom to drop me off twice a week after school at a place called Elementz. It was a small nonprofit that served the local community as a hip-hop youth center, offering workshops in breakdancing, rapping, and graffiti writing. A few weeks in, we were hired by auto shops around the corner to legally paint their walls, my formal introduction to lettering and the foundation for my nontraditional creative expression. For two years, Elementz provided me the space to explore, learn, and develop my talent.
In college, I substituted my pens and pencils for skis and climbing gear. Moving from Cincinnati to the front range of Colorado was too exciting to sit at a desk for long. During that time I studied geography, led backpacking trips, taught climbing courses, and interned for Paradox Sports, an adaptive climbing nonprofit. It was a whole new frontier for me.
Now living in Los Angeles, I combine my passion for the outdoors with my artistic process. Sustainability and artistic craft are gaining huge momentum in Southern California and I want to be part of that. Whether it is within the outdoor industry, environmental nonprofit world, or conservation groups, I believe creative design, unique branding, and authentic messaging can help make an even greater impression. Throughout the years, climbing, skiing, and surfing have instilled this conscious awareness in me. The outdoor community inspires my art. The simplistic lines, bright colors, and circles represent the clarity and positivity one receives in the mountains and ocean.
